Screenshot from a video the Israeli military said was of its soldiers inside the Gaza Strip (Reuters)
Israeli military analyst Amos Harel said that Hamas's "surrender" in the face of the ongoing ground invasion of the Gaza Strip is far from imminent.
In an article published in Haaretz newspaper on Tuesday, Harel referred to intense fighting in Gaza and deaths in the ranks of the Israeli army.
He also said Israel was still far from defeating Hamas, adding that the group's leader at home, Yahya Sinwar, had no intention of ordering his men to stop fighting.
Although acknowledging that the IDF is suffering losses and that Hamas's "surrender" is not imminent, the Israeli military analyst said the force used by the army by deploying three combat divisions in Gaza and the massive destruction it is causing are bearing fruit.
Harel noted that the IDF has sometimes faced fierce resistance from Hamas fighters, but said they are struggling to withstand Israeli military pressure in the western part of Gaza City and its northern suburbs.
He said Hamas would seek prisoner exchange deals, presenting it as a strategic victory.
According to the Israeli analyst, this time the army won approval for a major ground operation despite politicians' fears of failure and losses. Regarding the emergence of international pressure on Israel to stop the war, he stated that Israeli officers in Gaza consider that "the operation should end only after the defeat of Hamas."
Regarding the devastation caused by the Israeli invasion, Harel said it could take years to remove its effects.
Source : Anadolu Agency